Francis h



@NOMOde- F. H. RICHARDS.

BLANK PICKER FOR BNVBLOPE MACHINES.

No. 331,445. Patented Dec.1, 1885.

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lliaiirien Salaries Ferretti trice..

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, CF SPRINGFIELD, MASS., ASSIGNORCF CNEHALF TC THE PRATT & VI'IITNEY COMPANY CF HARTFORD, CONN.

BLANinllCKER FOR ENVELOPEwMACl-HNES.

SFEGEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,445, dated December 1, 1885. Application filed October 16, 1884. Serial No. 145,665. (No model.)

To ctZZ wftom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Farmers H. Rrcnaans,

a citizen of the Unit-'ed States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Blank-Picker for Envelope-Ma chines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation, partially in. sec` tion, of such apickcr embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under side of the same, also partially in section. Fig. 8 is a crosssectional view in line e e, Fig. 2. I5 Fig. 4: is an elevation, similar to Fig. l, of a modification in the construction of said im provcments. Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe under side of the same. Fig. 6 is a cross-sec tional view in line b b, Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 2o are similar cross-sectional views of other modiications.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through out the several views.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the so-called pickers or gummers, which are used in envelope-machines for taking up blanks by means of an adhesive substancepreviously applied to the under surface of said picker or glimmer.

In the United States Patent No. 221,835, J represents a gummer and picker of an ordinary construction, arranged for gu m ming and pick ing up blanks, and in United States Patent No. 288,673, e6 represents the same arranged 3 5 to be used for gumming only. My improved picker or glimmer is adapted to be used in either'of those ways, as may be desired.

I-Ieretofore in operating envelope machines it has been found a difiicult matter to 4.o make a picker bear down upon the blanks with substantially a uniform pressure over the whole surface covered by said picker. Several expcdients have been resorted to for overcoming the difficulty-such as an elastic or a tilting bed on which to place the pile of blanksbut thus far, in my opinion, without effecting a material improvement. Since the depth of the pile of blanks is constant-ly varying, as well as the quality of the paper and ot' the cutting out of it, it is obvious that the effect 5o of such expediente cannot be uniform.

The object of my invention is to secure the proper contact of the whole lower surface of the picker with the blank by means of an improved construction of the picker itself, where- 5 5 by the lower surface thereof will not only conform in its general position to the blank, but it will also conform, owing to its flexibility, to all the undulations of said blank. This object I accomplish by means of the improve 6o ments in the construction of said picker, which are hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, S is the usual sliding shaft, to one end of which the picker is suitably xed'. B is the picker-frame, secured to 65 said shaft, and adapted to hold the other parts of the picker. I) is a plate forming the face of thepicker. This plate is flexible, and preferably covered with a layer of elastic material, as L*such as vulcanized rnbber-for receiving 7o the gum. Said plate is secured to said frame B by means of a lateral-motion-resisting guide,

Cr, and downward-motion stops N, the space between said plate and frame being occupied by a springy material, as S in Fig. 6, or a series of springs, S. The aforesaid guides may be rods sliding through holes in frame B, and attached to plate I in any convenient manner,

as in Figs. 5 and 6, or ears formed on or attached to said plate and inclosed by flanges on So said frame, as in Fig. l, the function of both modes of construction being the same. The springs or springy material S should be such as will exert a sufficient downward force against plate P to bring stops N-which stops 85 may be nuts screwed onto the rods aforesaidagainst frame B, thereby holding the gum-receiving surface in or nearly in a true plane,

so that when the picker is brought down onto a pile of blanks it will transmit a suflicient 9c pressure from said frame through said plate to make the latter conform and adhere to the uppermost blankof the pile of blanks.

llIy improved envelope-blank pickers may be operated in connection with the usual gumming-roller and blank-carrying devices by means of the mechanism usually employed for so operating the old kinds of such pickers.

The operation of the picker itself is the between said frame and plate, all combined same as the operation of the old kinds, except and operating substantially as described. that, owing to its flexible and elastic construc- 2. In an envelope-blank picker, frame B, a tion, it conforms to the blank-pile more periiexible plate, P, rods G, springs s, and stops I5 5 fectly, and is therefore more effective. N, all combined, substantially as described, Having thus described my invention, I and shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, for the purpose claiml set forth.

1. An envelope-blank picker and glimmer FRANCIS H. RICHARDS. consisting of a suitable frame, a flexible plate Witnesses: Io or pickenface, lateral-moton-resisting guides, C. O. PALMER,

downward-motion stops, and springs acting H. W. FAULKNER. 

